Lamp socket



March 9, 1943. G. H. BURT LAMP SOCKET Filed July 2o, 1942 O O/I INVENTOR A l Y @uy/5452210( f Y Y ATTORN EHYSY Patented Mar. 9, 1943 "veu-NITE!) STAT ESPA-TE Lam socks'rV Guy H. Burt, kEil'twooll, R.. I., assignor'of onel," half tol Harry M. Burt, Narragansett,`lt.' I.'

fAppucatnm .my 2o, 1942, seria1No.451,5zs

This invention relatesto a lamp socketf the type for receiving an elongatedvtube having two contact pins extending to the r*ends of a filament within the tube and protruding from the end of the tube substantially parallel to the axis of the tube. l e Inthe use of certain gaseous discharge tubes where a transformer type of ballast is utilized for stepping up the voltage beyond that usually used in order to light the lamp instantaneously, it is desirable to have one of the lamp sockets arranged so as toprovide ashort circuit between the terminals thereof, when the lamp `is in position in the socket. Heretofore the'provision of a y short circuit of this character has beenprovided bysome external exposedarrangement placed upon the socket.

' One of the objects of vide a lamp socket in` which a short-circuiting mechanism will be enclosed within the socket and` not exposed thereon. l

Another object of the invention-is to 'provide a means for directly engaging the contact arms of the socket for v,providing an electrical connection between them directly'and notA through the contact pins of the lamp. y

thisinvention is to pro' subject of this invention. y

Another object of the invention is to provide for an electrical connection between the contact arms of the socket yby a movement of one of the arms effected by a positioning of the lamp with its contact pin into the socket.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction which'will enable sockets which are now in use vto be modifled'bya simple alteration to'effecta short circuiting of their contacts whe the lamp is placed in position. Y With these andy other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of con struction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation oi' a` gaseous discharge tube mounted in a socket of the type utilized in this invention;

Fig. 2 is aperspective with this invention;

` Fig. 3 is a rear view of this socket with the. back view of a socket equipped plate removed and illustrating the socket when' the gaseous discharge tube is removed therefrom;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figi 3. but showing the position of the parts when the gaseous discharge tube is positioned in the socket;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figs. 3 and 4 but illustrating a modified form of socket;

Fig. 6 is a rear ,view illustrating a still difL ferent modified formof thersocket;

- Fig'. 7 is a perspective view of one of the contact.

arms; v Y

` Fig. 8 is a perspective view of another of the oontactarms;

Fig. 9 is a perspectivev view-of one bridging v element shown in Figs. 3 and 4; and

Fig. l0 is aperspective `view of another bridging elementused in themodied form of the `inventionshown inr Fig. 6. 1

In certain high-,voltage types of hook-ups forgaseous dischargetub'es one of the tube sockets II (see Fig.- l) is the regular formI utilized whileY the other socket,- 'although similar in appearance o thereto and designated I2has -a 'short-circuit- .these recesses which extend generally longitudinally of the body. Within therecess I6 I have lo'- cated a contact arm I9 which has a plate portion 20 tting withinA notches 2| located in the -base with a set screwv 22 in the plate portion- 20 for 'the securing of some wire thereto for electrical connection. The arm I9 .extends generally longitudinally of the body in the recess I6 and .from the point 23 to its -free end has a certain amount of inherent resilience for flexing about the point -23 as a fulcrum.

A contact arm 25 islocate'd in the recess II and has a plate 26 fitted in the notches 21 in the base and equipped with a setfscrew-28 for. holding a wire electrically-connected tothis arm.vl This arm is zigzagin shapeso as vto perform 'the function of limiting its movement and o! providing an advantageous contact portion, and is provided y with a lip 29 to restrict the entrance of a pin in its insertion in the socket. This arm has a-certain amount of inherent resilience. permittingitA to flex throughout substantially its entire length when suitably engaged tok be moved laterally oi' its extent. l

J-shaped slots 30 andfl are provided in the body I4 extending from the end32 thereof generally longitudinally ofthe body with openings as at 33 and 34 inv a -location to communicate with the ends of the contact arms I3 and 25 which extend 'across theopenings 33`V and 34.

As the contact pins 35v o! the gaseous discharge tube I3 are moved: through the J-slots. 30 and 3I `to the openings 33 and 3.4, these pins 4`35 will engage andrub along the contact arms- I3 l'and 25 and move the contact arm I9 toward the left as shown in Fig. 4 and the contact arm` 25 toward good wiping electrical connection therewith.A I utilize the movement of these contact arms to provide an electrical connection between the con-f tact arms in several or various ways as lwill now'- ppear. a

I have provided an opening 36 in the wall I8 in the showing o! Figs. 3 and 4, or an opening 31 in `this wall I8 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, thus enabling communication to ybe established between the contacts I9 and 25 located in the recess which this wall I3 separates. In the showings in` Figs.

3 and 4, the bridging element 35 is provided with Y with. The bridging element` 38 then extends through the opening 36and upwardly converging toward contact 25-at the portion 4I, and then extendsinwardly as at 42 lparallel toa portion 43 of the contact arm-25. .`The arrangement is such that when the contact arm 25 is moved inwardly by the pin 35 -of .the gaseous discharge tube the portions 43 and421will engage, providing good electrical communication between them anda g short circuit oi' thegcontact arms I9and 25 as shown in-Fig. 4. 'r l In the modification shown in Fig. the contact'arm now designated I9 and shown in perspective-in Fig. 8,' isequipped with an extension portion 45 bent as at 45" at the locationwhich heretofore has'been the free end thereoLso as to extend through the 'opening 31 injthe wall I8 and into a position whereby its vend 48 (see Fig. 5) is located along the angle portion 43 of the contact arm 25. Thus when .this arm 25 is moved inwardly by the pin 35 this end portion 46 will contact withthe portion 43 of the contact arm and that both contact arms may be free from the n bridging element and flexed toward it in the form vvthe right as shown -in Fig. 4 so asto provide a shown in Fig. 6.

In-the form shown in Figs..5 and 6 the ilexing of both of the contact arms is utilized to establish a short-circuiting connection between the arms, while in the forms shown in Figs. 3 and 4 I lhave utilized merely themovement of one of the contact arms inorder to effect this short circuiting result.

By the arrangement heretofore described it will be apparent that when the gaseous discharge tube with the two p ins 35 thereof is inserted into the socket the contact arms of the socket will establish a short-cirouiting between these arms so that no electrical connection will dependupon passage oi' energy through the contact pins. Further, it will be apparent that due to the resilient action lof the arms when the gaseous discharge tube is withdrawn from the' socket, the short circuiting relations no longer exist, as the contact arms re- 'tumto their position spaced from each other. v

I claim: i

1. A lamp socket. for the reception of a lamp having`two contact pins comprising a body of insulating material, a pair of contact arms in said body,- said body being provided withA slots for the reception of the lamp contact pinstherein to contact said arms, one of said arms beingresilient and moved by the insertion of the lamp contact pins into said slots, and means engaged by the movement of said resilient vcontact arm for electrically connecting said arms.

, 2. A lamp socket for the reception of a lamp having two contact pins comprising a body o! insulating material, a pair of contact arms in said body, said body being provided with slots for the reception of the lamp contact pinstherein to contact said arms, one of said arms being resilient and moved by the insertion ofthe lamp contact pins into said slots, and bridging means engaged by the movement of saidrmovable contact armand in electrical engagement with the other contact arm for electrically connecting said arms upon insertion of `the lamp into said socket.

3. A-socket for the reception of a lamp having two contact pins comprising a body of insulating provide a good electricalzconnection between theV contact arms 25 and I3. Inv Fig. 6 I have illustrated a supplemental bridging element designated generally 41 consisting of a generally U-shaped piece with a re- "the contact arm 25or theportion 43 thereof when moved inwardly while the other leg is positioned to be en'gagedby the contact arm vI9 when 'itis moved inwardly by the contact pin 35 of the gaseous discharge tube. Thus it will be apparent said arms and spaced from the other of said conmaterial having recesses therein with a separating wall between said recesses and an opening through said wall, contact arms in said recesses, a bridging element extending lthrough said opening and in electrical connection with one of tact arms, the saidv other of the cbntact arms being movable, said body having slots therein communicating with said contacts for the reception of the contact `pins of a lamp, said movablecontact arm being moved by the insertion of the lamp into the socket to cause engagement of .the movable contact` arm with ,the bridging element to establishl electrical connection between said contact arms.

' GUY H. BURT. 

